Haunted Memories
by The Rose Society
Summary: Songfic with manga spoilers


*Disclaimer: I don't own Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon  
or the song "The Last Words You Said to Me," by Sarah  
Brightman, that this is based on. You think I'm rich?  
Although, if they were willing to sell for...::looks  
in her purse:: twenty dollars and some change, I'll  
be more than happy to buy it! Then, no more disclaimers  
for me!  
  
Haunted Memories  
By: The Rose Society  
Rating: PG  
Email: EtrlSlrMn@aol.com  
http://www.geocities.com/the_rose_society/index.html  
  
*Tokyo International Airport*  
  
"Usako, aishiteru," Mamoru whispered into her  
ear as he slowly slid the ring onto her finger.  
Usagi gazed at the ring with tears welling up  
in her eyes. Even though they were saying goodbye for  
now, Mamoru would return to her. The ring on her  
finger was proof of his promise to her. "Oh Mamo-chan,  
aishiteru!" Usagi cried as she threw herself into his  
arms, giving him a passionate kiss which he returned  
with interest.  
In the haze of their embrace, the noisy  
airport intercom system announced, "Japan Airlines,  
Flight 4057 for Boston, Massachusetts, final boarding  
call. Will all passengers please come to Gate 12?"  
Usagi and Mamoru pulled apart. Grabbing his  
suitcase again, Mamoru took one last look at his  
beloved Usako before boarding his plane. She stood  
before him, with all her love for him shining in her  
eyes, determined not to break down until he left. He  
smiled wistfully, knowing that they would soon part  
for a long time. Chiba Mamoru was not an emotional  
man, having learned early in his life that having  
feelings left oneself open to being hurt. But then  
he met Tsukino Usagi, or Odango Atama, and everything  
in his life changed. Usako had opened his heart and,  
in return for his love, she gave him hers in return.  
In the three years that they had been together, they  
had been together on numerous dates and most of their  
friends knew that they were a couple. But strangers  
often found it hard to understand what a second year  
college student was doing hanging around a second  
year high school student. After all, Mamoru never  
really liked to demonstrate his feelings in public.  
But this time, he would leave Usagi for a year, maybe  
longer. He wanted...no, needed to show her how much  
she meant to him. Hence, the ring. But he knew that  
his Usako was not one for material things. The only  
thing that would mean more to her than anything he  
could give her (including Earth itself) was having  
him say that he loved her.  
"Tsukino Usagi, Usako, aisuru, love me now,  
forever," Mamoru whispered, not trusting his voice  
to speak without cracking. Mamoru mentally kicked  
himself. After years of being Tuxedo Kamen, you'd  
think that he could come up with something more  
romantic than that. Wincing, Mamoru waited for  
Usagi to burst into laughter at his poorly chosen  
words. When no such laughter came, Mamoru looked at  
his love to see silent tears running down her face,  
her eyes shining with pure joy.  
"Chiba Mamoru, Mamo-chan, aisuru, I loved you  
in the past, I love you now and I will love you  
forever," Usagi said. Taking a quick look at the gate,  
Usagi grimaced. "Mamo-chan, you need to leave now or  
you'll miss your flight."  
Grabbing his suitcase, Mamoru gathered his  
strength to pull away from his soul mate. But before  
he even could turn away from her tearful smile, a  
bright light engulfed him and then...nothing.  
Frozen in her place, Usagi watched in horror  
as Mamoru disintegrated before her eyes and the  
Golden Crystal replace his spot. A woman in  
resplendent golden armor grabbed the crystal, tossed  
Usagi a cruel smile, and vanished.  
  
Somewhere in time I know,  
Darling you'll come back to me.  
Roses will bloom again,  
But spring feels like eternity.  
In your kiss it wasn't goodbye.  
You are still the reason why.  
  
Jerking out of slumber, Usagi clutched the  
sheets, a scream dying in her throat.  
'Yume...it was only a dream...' she thought,  
her memories of the dream already fading away. Looking  
at her bed, she noticed that Chibi-Chibi was still asleep.  
Usagi's thrashing had not awakened the young girl from  
her peaceful slumber. Luna was no where around; most  
likely, Luna was off at the command center with Artemis,  
trying to find out more information about the strange new  
enemy.  
Usagi, careful not to disturb Chibi-Chibi any  
further, opened her balcony doors and stepped out into  
the cool winter air, not bothering to grab a coat. She  
stood there, oblivious to her environment, staring at  
the night sky. The moon hung low in the sky, it's full  
face shining its silvery light upon the Earth.  
'Why does my heart ache, like a part of me has  
died?' Usagi wondered. Every night, a terrifying  
nightmare would force her to wake and, like every other  
night, Usagi would feel a deep emptiness inside her  
soul. Never had she felt such pain, such loneliness.  
Entering her room just long enough to grab her phone,  
Usagi punched in the numbers that she had memorized by  
this point in time.  
"Moshi moshi, Chiba Mamoru desu. I have left for  
the United States to attend Harvard University. If you  
would like to leave a message, I will try to return  
your call once I have settled down in my new place."  
Usagi hung up the phone before the mechanical beep  
could sound in her ear. She missed her Mamo-chan so much,  
but he had yet to call or write. Therefore, every night,  
she called his apartment to hear his answering machine  
message. She tried to re-live her memories and remember  
what he looked like last, as he left her to board the plane.  
An intense, mind-crushing pain exploded in Usagi's  
head. Clutching her head and moaning, Usagi dropped her  
phone and crouched down. The pain was so extreme, all  
Usagi could do was pray that it went away.  
Slowly, very slowly, the pain ebbed away, leaving  
Usagi drained of her strength. Panting slightly, Usagi  
picked herself up from the floor of her balcony. 'What  
is wrong with me? Every time I think of Mamo-chan's  
departure, a pain hits me.' Shivering in the night air,  
Usagi returned to her room. Replacing the phone on its  
stand, Usagi returned to her bed and laid down. But  
sleep was far from Usagi's mind at this point.  
'Usako...'  
Usagi bit her lip to stop her tears. Even though  
she knew that Mamoru was a whole ocean away, she still  
felt as if she could hear his deep voice whispering her  
name. Like always, her heart would soar and call out to  
his. There were even times when she found herself  
answering the whispers, calling out her beloved's name. But  
like always, she found herself back in her room, alone.  
Silently sobbing, Usagi cried herself to sleep, only to  
dream of happier times with Mamoru.  
'Usako...Love me now, forever...'  
  
I can hear you whispering  
in the silence of my room.  
My heart still surrenders  
like the sun to the moon.  
I can barely stand this aching  
Burning endlessly  
"Love me now, forever,"  
were the last words you said to me.  
  
Sailor Moon slowly returned from the dead and  
called out to her love, "Endymion?"  
"Serenity?!" Tuxedo Kamen whispered, unable to  
believe his eyes. "I can see you again!"  
Sailor Moon caressed his cheek. "Endymion, is  
that really you?" Happy tears filled both their eyes  
and the two lovers embraced, together again after  
defeating Metallia.  
"Endymion!" Usagi cried out, her arms reaching  
out to touch Mamoru. But it was only a dream and her arms  
merely touched air. As before, Mamoru was not in front of  
her and Usagi found herself completely alone in her room.  
"Oh Mamo-chan. I miss you so much," Usagi  
whispered. This time, however, Usagi had no time to cry  
over her dreams. Her alarm showed that it was time to  
get ready for school. Trudging towards the bathroom,  
Usagi halfheartedly brushed her teeth and washed face  
free of her dried tears. Tossing on a uniform, Usagi  
walked towards Juuban High School, preparing to start  
another long day of boredom.  
As she walked her familiar route, she passed  
the courtyard with the fountain and the familiar bench.  
Before, when Mamoru was still in Japan, he would sit on  
that bench and wait for the forever-tardy Usagi so that  
he could walk her to school. But now, no one waited for  
Usagi at the bench and she continued on her walk to  
school, alone.  
After her classes had ended, Usagi plodded her  
way to the Crown Parlor with Rei, Ami, Minako and Makoto,  
just as she had done everyday for the past year. Ever  
since they had entered high school, they stopped visiting  
the Crown Arcade and instead opted for the Crown Parlor,  
buying drinks and spending hours talking and catching up  
on events of the day. Usually an avid participant in these  
conversations, Usagi was just sitting in her seat,  
absently stirring her straw in her drink.  
"Don't you think so, Usagi-chan?"  
Startled, Usagi looked up at Minako. "Gomen nasai,  
Minako-chan. What did you say?"  
Giggling, Minako repeated her comment. "Which one  
of The Three Lights do you think is the cutest?" Minako  
pointed animatedly at a poster of the popular singing  
group. Perfunctorily, Usagi turned to look. There, on the  
poster were three rather good looking men, each holding a  
rose. Although Usagi did not really think any of them  
could even begin to compare to her Mamo-chan, something  
on the poster caught her eye. The lead singer, tall with  
dark hair, was holding a red rose. Usagi quickly bit  
off a sob and grabbed her purse.  
"Gomen, minna. I need to go home now." With that,  
Usagi beat a quick retreat back towards home, not even  
waiting for Luna to join her.  
Rei, Ami, Makoto, Minako, Luna and Artemis stared  
at Usagi's fleeing figure in confusion. What had just  
happened?  
  
And when the morning comes  
my hands still reach out for you.  
Some things remain the same.  
There is nothing I can do.  
I can barely get through the day  
ever since you went away.  
  
Usagi threw herself upon her bed, weeping. The  
rose, it was a symbol of his love for her. It announced  
his entrance into battle as well as demonstrating his  
intention to marry her when they were on the moon. Every  
time she saw the crimson petals, her heart leapt, hoping  
that he had returned to her. But each time, she was  
disappointed.  
She missed him. Despite the time that had passed,  
the loneliness, the ache in her heart, they only grew in  
intensity. Time could not do nothing for her pain.  
As she cried, the whispers returned.  
'Usako...Boku o yuruse, koibito...'  
'Usako...Love me now, forever...'  
"Urusai! Onegai, urusai! Onegai, leave me alone,"  
Usagi cried. "Can't you just leave me in peace? Stop  
haunting me!!"  
Curling up in her bed, Usagi unsuccessfully tried  
to get the tears to stop. "Onegai," she whispered. "Onegai  
Mamo-chan, come back to me..." And again, for the fifth  
time that week, Usagi cried herself to sleep, trying to  
escape her pain...only to find it waiting for her in her  
dreams.  
  
I can hear you whispering  
in the silence of my room.  
My heart still surrenders  
like the sun to the moon.  
I can barely stand this aching  
Burning endlessly  
"Love me now, forever,"  
were your last words to me.  
  
Eternal Sailor Moon stared into the empty depths  
that was Chaos. Everything, everyone...they were all gone.  
Galaxia had realized her error and forsaken the bracelets,  
her body disintegrating like the rest of the senshi. The  
Starlights had fallen, as well as their princess. Eternal  
Sailor Moon had had to face her friends...rather, grotesque  
copies of her friends, and destroy them all. Tuxedo Kamen  
had been pushed into the Cauldron, returning to his  
bodiless state. When he disappeared, so had Chibi-Usa.  
Her future, her friends, her love...everything was gone.  
Turning her attention to the glittering expanse  
of the Cauldron, Eternal Sailor Moon remembered Chaos'  
words.  
"Darkness calls to Light and Light calls to  
Darkness...You are all children of the Cauldron..."  
'I've killed my brothers and sisters,' Eternal  
Sailor Moon thought, remembering her enemies. 'My light  
called to their darkness and I killed them. It's my  
fault that my friends are dead. Without my presence, they  
would not have had to fight this pointless battle.'  
"Eternal Sailor Moon, it's up to you now, to end  
this cycle of war!" Sailor Cosmos cried.  
Could she do it? Take Sailor Saturn's role as the  
Messiah of Silence and destroy the Cauldron of Stars? And  
what if she did destroy the Cauldron? Her friends...her  
love...the countless senshi that had yet to be born...they  
would all be destroyed.  
'You'd be alone...'  
"Iie," Eternal Sailor Moon whispered. She was a  
sailor senshi, the Messiah of Rebirth. She could not condemn  
all the senshi of the universe to oblivion. Even if it meant  
that Chaos would survive, she would not destroy the  
Cauldron of Stars.  
Her decision made, Eternal Sailor Moon stood up at  
the edge of the platform. "You will no longer control the  
Cauldron, Chaos," Eternal Sailor Moon said in a determined  
voice.  
Chaos laughed. "And who is going to stop me? You?  
The pitiful princess without her senshi? Hahahahaha! You do  
not have the power nor the will to destroy me!"  
Eternal Sailor Moon spread her wings as she gently  
placed her hands over her henshin brooch. Smiling softly,  
she looked directly into the eyes of Chaos. "Perhaps you are  
right. Maybe I am too weak to destroy you. But I'm not just  
a pitiful princess without her senshi. Watashi wa ai to seigi  
no, seera fuku bishoujo senshi Eternal Sailor Moon!" She  
spread her wings and lifted herself from the platform so that  
she could float in front of Chaos in the Cauldron of Stars.  
The ginzuishou began to shine brightly in her brooch, filling  
her body with its comforting strength.  
Chaos narrowed its eyes. The little imp was trying  
to disrupt its plans. Did she not learn her lesson when it  
took away her friends and beloved? Oh well, so much for  
thinking that mortals had half a brain. With a mere thought,  
Chaos brought forth the power of the Cauldron which it had  
attached itself to. If the little imp wanted to be destroyed  
who was Chaos to argue?  
Eternal Sailor Moon closed her eyes and allowed  
herself to plummet into the dark abyss. 'For all our dreams,  
our hopes, our wishes...for all the senshi who have been  
born...for all the senshi that have yet to emerge...I do  
not know if I can save everything...but on behalf of minna,  
on the behalf of our future together, and on the behalf of  
all our future rebirths together, I must try. Because these  
sailor crystals are our hopes for the future...everyone's  
hope for a better future, I must try!'  
She brought her hands in front of her, begging the  
ginzuishou for its power. In response, a bright white light  
engulfed her now nude body, and began to spread throughout  
the dark vastness.  
Chaos intensified its power. The little wretch was  
actually draining some of its influence over the Cauldron.  
'Starlights, Fireball, Galaxia, minna...onegai  
lend me your power!' Serenity thought as she began to  
awaken the full power of the ginzuishou.  
Hearing her plea, the sailor crystals in the  
Cauldron began to feed their energy to Serenity instead of  
letting Chaos drain them. Weakening, Chaos began to  
increasingly draw on its own power, trying to stop the  
lone senshi.  
Serenity knew it was time. The ginzuishou had  
gathered immense power from the other senshi and was ready  
to unleash its force upon Chaos. Pausing for a moment, she  
realized that this would be her final act. Such power would  
surely kill her. 'I would rather die with minna than live  
alone,' she thought.  
"Maboroshi no ginzuishou Eternal Power!!" Ribbons  
of power flew from Serenity's body as the sailor crystals  
grew more brilliant around her. Chaos began to panic as  
the ribbons began to wrap themselves around its body. It  
struggled to free itself, using its full power but to no  
avail. Serenity had freed the Cauldron from its control,  
the little wretch actually succeeded.  
As it faded back into the Cauldron of Stars, Chaos  
uttered its last words. "You will never defeat me. For where  
there is light, there is darkness." With a scream, Chaos  
disappeared, back into the hearts of everyone.  
'I can feel minna's power inside my body,' thought  
Serenity. 'Chotto matte, minna. I will soon release you  
from this place.' Those were her last thoughts as Serenity  
fell into the Cauldron of Stars, her body disintegrating  
in a flurry of feathers and energy.  
  
*************************************************************  
  
'Usako...' An entity searched for his beloved but  
the brilliant lights blinded his vision. Closing his eyes,  
he let his heart, his soul reach out beyond his body.  
Something was calling him toward the center of the lights.  
Not knowing what else to do, he followed the pull, hoping  
to find her.  
  
Heaven help us across this endless sea  
with starlight above to guide you to me.  
Waves crashing on distant shores  
they're calling our names forever more.  
  
Usagi slowly opened her eyes. Before her, as far as  
she could see, were billions and billions of sailor crystals.  
'What happened,' she wondered. 'Did I fail? Did Chaos manage  
to throw me out of the Cauldron? Is minna gone?'  
'Usako...'  
There it was again, that strange ache in her heart  
and the whispering in the air.  
  
And I still hear you whispering  
in the silence of my room.  
  
Turning quickly around, her arms reached out  
instinctively toward the source of the sound. But this time  
was different from her last attempt. Instead of emptiness,  
her fingers entwined with another's...  
With Mamoru's...  
"Mamo-chan," she whispered. She dared not move; if  
this was a dream, she never wanted to wake up. 'Kami-sama,  
onegai never let me wake up from this yume.' Frozen to her  
place, Usagi could only look at the face that had haunted  
her dreams.  
But Mamoru missed Usagi too much to be content with  
just staring at her. Pulling Usagi into his embrace, he  
rained kisses upon her shocked face. "Oh Usako...Usako...  
koibito, how I missed you." He clutched her to him tightly,  
wishing that he would never have to let go of the angel in  
his arms.  
Usagi pulled back slightly so that she could look  
at Mamoru's face. "Mamo-chan, is this real?" She placed a  
trembling hand on his face. His skin was warm to the touch  
and quite solid. Her other hand that rested on his heart  
could feel its steady rhythm. He was real. He was alive.  
And he was right in front of her.  
Smiling, Mamoru nodded. "Hai, Usako. This is real."  
Taking her hands from their places, he kissed each finger  
tip with care. "I am alive, thanks to you." Before Usagi  
could ask another question, Mamoru sealed her lips with a  
kiss.  
As their lips met in a sweet tango, they both felt  
the emptiness in their souls being filled once again with  
love. Usagi melted as the familiar feeling of Mamoru's lips  
upon her own sent her heart to the heavens. They were  
complete once more, two halves making a whole.  
  
*************************************************************  
  
Mamoru gazed lovingly at the figure next to him.  
He enjoyed waking up in the morning to see Usagi's naked  
form sleeping next to him. Kissing her awake, Mamoru  
pulled back from Usagi to run a finger down her cheek. He  
could look at her forever and never want for anything else.  
"Mamo-chan?" Usagi's slightly groggy voice called.  
"Hai, Usako?" Using his elbow, he propped his head  
up so that he could see Usagi's face. Leaning up, Usagi  
rested her forehead against Mamoru's own, her eyes shining  
with mischief.  
"Say it again, Mamo-chan? Onegai?"  
Mamoru let out an exasperated sigh. "I already said  
it fifty times last night." He made a face but he was  
secretly pleased that Usagi had asked.  
Pouting, Usagi made puppy dog eyes at him. "Onegai?  
Just one more time."  
Laughing, Mamoru pulled Usagi into his arms.  
"Anything for you, Usako."  
Giggling, Usagi snuggled into his warm embrace and  
listened as his deep voice rumbled in his chest.  
"Marry me, Tsukino Usagi. Love me now, forever."  
  
My heart still surrenders  
like the sun to the moon.  
I can barely stand this aching  
burning endlessly  
"Love me now, forever,"  
were the last words you said to me.  
  
Translations:  
aishiteru- I love you  
aisuru- beloved  
arigato gozaimasu- thank you  
boku o yuruse- please forgive me  
chotto matte- wait a minute  
gomen nasai- I'm sorry  
koibito- beloved  
maboroshi no ginzuishou- silver crystal of illusion  
moshi, moshi- hello (answering phone)  
onegai- please  
urusai- shut up  
watashi wa ai to seigi no, seera fuku bishoujo senshi  
Eternal Sailor Moon- I am the pretty sailor  
suited warrior of love and justice  
yume- dream  
  
Author Notes:  
My first attempt at WAFF! Hope you like =)  
Until the next story...  
  
~The moonlight carries the message of love.~  
~Tsuki no hikari wa ai no message.~ 


End file.
